After two decades of rewriting the script of cross-country racing, Nino Schurter lines up for his final World Cup this weekend, closing an era on home soil. No athlete has shaped modern mountain biking more than the Swiss legend, the man universally known as the GOAT. This weekend, as he toes the line, it will be a celebration of the victories, rivalries, and relentless pursuit of excellence that have defined an entire generation of XC racing.
Who Is Nino Schurter?
If you’ve been living under a rock or don’t pay much attention to XCO race coverage (we forgive you), let us get you up to speed so you can appreciate this build and this athlete’s truly incredible career.
Nino Schurter’s palmarès is staggering. Over 20 years, he amassed multiple World Championship titles, World Cup overall wins, and Olympic medals—including gold at Rio 2016. He’s been the benchmark for what’s possible in cross-country racing, blending explosive power, tactical precision, and unmatched bike handling.
Racing for SCOTT-SRAM MTB Racing, he’s been the constant presence at the front of World Cups, forcing every rival, from Julien Absalon to Mathieu van der Poel and Tom Pidcock, to measure themselves against his wheel.
His longevity is equally remarkable. In a sport where younger riders are constantly charging through, Nino stayed at the sharp end year after year, adapting to every evolution in tech, training, and race formats. He wasn’t just a serial winner; he was the standard—the one every rider aspired to beat. From the switchbacks of Albstadt to the brutal altitude climbs of Vallnord, Schurter’s victories weren’t confined to one type of course. He mastered them all, cementing himself as the face of modern mountain biking.
And now, with Lenzerheide as his final battleground, his legacy is locked. His career isn’t defined only by rainbow stripes or medals, but by the way he elevated the sport itself.
Nino Schurter’s Greatest Hits
- 2004 – Joins the Swiss national MTB program, signaling the arrival of a new talent.
- 2009 – Wins his first UCI World Championship XCO title in Canberra, Australia.
- 2012 – Takes Olympic silver in London, after earning bronze in Beijing 2008.
- 2013–2015 – Begins his dominant run, stacking multiple World Cup overall titles and establishing himself as the rider to beat.
- 2016 – Wins Olympic gold at Rio de Janeiro, cementing his legacy as the best in the world.
- 2017 – Completes the rare feat of winning every single World Cup race in a season.
- 2018 – Matches and surpasses Julien Absalon’s records, rewriting the World Cup win tally.
- 2022 – Breaks the record for most individual World Cup wins in history, adding to his rainbow jersey collection.
- 2025 – Final World Cup at Lenzerheide, Switzerland
By the Numbers – Nino Schurter’s Legacy
- Olympic Medals: Gold (Rio 2016), Silver (London 2012), Bronze (Beijing 2008)
- World Championship Titles: 10x XCO World Champion
- World Cup Overall Wins: 8x Overall World Cup Champion
- World Cup Victories: 35+ individual wins (record holder)
- Professional Seasons: 20
- Team: Scott-SRAM MTB Racing (2002–2025) Thats right – ONE TEAM.
It’s a résumé that might never be matched, not just in mountain biking but across endurance sports. The numbers alone put Nino in rare company, but it’s the way he won, the style, the attacks, the control, that turned him into the GOAT.
A Bike Built for a King – Spark RC X N1NO
To mark the moment, his longtime partners SCOTT and SRAM delivered a tribute worthy of a king: the Spark RC X N1NO Special Edition, a one-off build crafted for his last charge up Lenzerheide’s climbs. Splashed with Swiss red, rainbow stripes, and a bold “Greatest Of All Time” callout on the seat tube, the bike told the story of Nino’s reign before he even turned a pedal.
For his farewell, Yanick “The Mechanic” Gyger, Nino’s trusted wrench, built the last race rig of his career; a bike as special as the rider. The SCOTT Spark RC X N1NO Special Edition is more than paint: it’s a rolling history book. Swiss-inspired colors, paint splashes symbolizing speed, rainbow stripes honoring his unmatched World Championship record, and a rear shock graphic commemorating his countless victories.
Spark RC X N1NO Spec Highlights
- Frame: SCOTT Spark RC Carbon HMX SL Custom, Size M
- Fork: RockShox SID Ultimate Flight Attendant, 120 mm travel
- Rear Shock: RockShox SIDLuxe Flight Attendant, 120 mm
- Drivetrain: SRAM BlackBox Eagle Transmission with XX SL GOAT Eagle Power Meter crankset (170 mm, 38T)
- Chain/Cassette: SRAM XX SL Gold Eagle Transmission, 10–52T (Custom N1NO GOAT Chain)
- Brakes: SRAM Motive Ultimate
- Cockpit: Syncros Fraser iC SL WC bar (-40°, 80 mm, 700 mm)
- Wheels: Syncros Silverton 1.0s
- Tires: Maxxis Aspen ST 29×2.40WT (front/rear testpilot compounds)
- Seatpost: RockShox Reverb AXS (100 mm)
- Saddle: Syncros Tofino SL Channel
- Computer: Garmin Edge 840
This wasn’t just another team bike; it was a tribute. Every partner who shaped his career, SRAM, RockShox, Syncros, Maxxis, had their stamp on this machine, fine-tuned for his final push. We wish Nino the best in his next chapter. Bon courage!
Check out our gallery for all the images of Ninos’ farewell machine.
